


All Alone in the Dark I Faced My Fears

by mcgarrygirl78



Series: When We're Together [2]
Category: Criminal Minds
Genre: Drama, F/M, Romance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2011-10-17
Updated: 2011-10-17
Packaged: 2017-10-24 17:18:59
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,342
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/265950
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/mcgarrygirl78/pseuds/mcgarrygirl78
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Erin Strauss had surely been called many things in her life…she refused to add adulterer to the list.</p>
            </blockquote>





	All Alone in the Dark I Faced My Fears

**Author's Note:**

> This is #2 in the When We’re Together series, which tells of the early days in this relationship. Canon-wise that means from Season 3 on. The title is from the song, Feels Like Heaven by Peter Cetera and Chaka Khan. I may stick to song titles for this series but I'm not sure. I'm not sure about anything with this series.

He was sound asleep and she was going to make a run for it. It may have been a little ridiculous but she would deal with the consequences of that later. There was no way she wouldn’t have to deal with the consequences of all of it. Until a few moments ago he was asleep in her arms, limbs tangled. His breath was warm on her neck and shoulder; his snore comforting in her ear.

Yes, David Rossi snored. He didn’t sound like a freight train; it was just a soft sound to let you know he was breathing. But Erin knew he was breathing. Even in his sleep, Dave’s hands wandered. They wandered to all the right places and made her moan. His touch was unparalleled even thirty years later.

When he touched her as he did it boggled Erin’s mind that they couldn’t make anything work no matter the differences. Sex wasn’t everything, she knew that. She also knew the last time she came three times in a night she’d been with him. All this time Erin thought those things went away with age. It turned out they went away with Dave. Another life lesson learned.

He’d turned over on his side with a little snore, leaving her free to move around. She stared up at the ceiling and thought about what to do. He was a sound sleeper so escaping without detection was a possibility. She’d have to face it eventually but not tonight so that was good. She could scribble down a note in the tiny notebook he kept on the nightstand. She could tell him it was over and there was nothing to talk about.

Technically, she was having an affair. Erin Strauss had surely been called many things in her life…she refused to add adulterer to the list. Eli refused to give up on reconciliation. Some days he wore her down so much that Erin considered taking him back just to shut him up. That couldn’t happen. Still, he had as much right to beg as she had to move on.

What was she moving on to? This thing with David, and yes she called it a ‘thing’ in her subconscious mind, this thing could only end in disaster. It would be just like the first time. In fact it would be worse now because of his team. She would once again lose him to the BAU only it would be Aaron Hotchner instead of Max Ryan. Aaron Hotchner who didn’t like her and the feeling was mutual.

She was the bureaucrat and he was the maverick…he and his team against the world. It was he and his team against Erin Strauss. David Rossi was a part of that team. David was an all or nothing guy, he would never be partially devoted to Hotch. She had a feeling he wasn’t devoted to her at all. They were having amazing sex but that didn’t mean anything. Sometimes, when he touched her, when he was so deep inside of her that he could only breathe her name and shut his eyes tight, in those moments Erin let her mind wander to maybe, just maybe.

Sighing, she turned and looked at his naked back and the top of his ass. Dave didn’t care for covers; he never really had. There were scars on his body. Some were familiar to her and some weren't. They became more familiar with each encounter. She fought the urge to reach out and touch him.

She knew some aspects of Dave quite well. If she accidentally woke him he’d want to fuck her. That would be alright since she would want to as well. Tonight though that would ruin the cut and run plan. The plan was dwindling the longer she lay there and looked at his back.

Erin sat up, pushing one sheet aside and using the other to cover her naked body. She swung her feet slowly and quietly onto the plush carpet. It wasn’t quiet enough and Mudgie looked up from his spot by the bedroom door. Shit, why hadn’t she taken the dog into account? If he started barking then it was as good as over. But he just looked at her for a moment before putting his head back down. Like his master, he wasn’t going to waste time staring when there was precious sleep to be had.

“Good boy.” She whispered, her eyes scanning the carpet for her clothes. This wouldn’t be an easy mission but definitely not impossible either.

“I wish you wouldn’t.” He said.

“David…”

“Where are you going? It has to be three in the morning.”

“2:38.” Erin replied.

“So you were going to quickly dress and tiptoe out? Just step over the dog and me too.”

“I wasn’t going to…”

There was no point in finishing the lie. She was too old for these kinds of games. Instead, Erin closed her eyes and quivered as his fingers stroked her spine. My God, no one ever touched her like that. She knew men had touched her spine before but never like that.

“Don’t make me come and get you.” He whispered. “I'm not above holding you down until you see sense.”

“And what is your interpretation of sense as it pertains to this situation?” Erin tried to keep her voice steady while he stroked back and forth. It was a nearly impossible feat.

“Why leave the warmth and security of this bed to drive home, in the rain, to an empty one?” Dave sat up. He quickly slid into a sitting position behind her so that Erin was sitting between his legs. He pressed a kiss to her shoulder. “Are you going to answer my question?”

“I plead the fifth.”

“At this hour, that’s not allowed.”

“Now the Constitution is null and void? I don’t know how I feel about that.”

“And she covers her insecurity with wit.”

“Don’t fuckin profile me.” Erin said through clenched teeth.

“I'm sorry, baby. I'm really sorry. It’s been who I am for so long that sometimes it just slips out. You know I don’t want to profile you. If we go back to sleep you won't even have to listen to me talk.”

“Don’t tempt me with your silence, David.”

“I like to tempt you.” His hand moved under the sheet. He brushed it against her belly and felt the butterflies. He didn’t know what to do to make her feel better but he wished he did. “Don’t leave me tonight.”

Never had four words gone so deep into her soul. Erin wanted to respond, say something cheeky, but the simple sentence reached the center to her. She put her hand over his, turned her head slightly to kiss his lips. Then she nodded and let him pull her back into the warmth of the sheets.

He wanted to spoon; she could find no reason to object. That feeling, his chest on her shoulder blades, his cock against her ass, damn it shouldn’t feel as good as it did. The heat of him, the softness, the hardness, and the feel of his facial hair tickling that special place behind her ear…Erin was falling fast. How could she stop herself from slamming fast first into the concrete?

“Don’t…” She barely whispered.

“Don’t what?” He asked.

“Just don’t…please.”

“OK, I won't Erin. I promise you.”

He held her tighter and Erin exhaled. She closed her eyes and let sleep pull her into an uncertain abyss. She doubted that Dave would keep his promise but in his defense, it wasn’t his fault. This was a battle she had to fight on her own. There was no armor or weapons.

It wasn’t looking good for her at the moment. Losing felt euphoric but she knew the feeling was temporary. It was what came after that scared Erin to death. She had to get it together…staying in her right mind was crucial. Unfortunately, she had a feeling she was the past the point of no return.

***


End file.
